The Church's New Seminary Standards Are Making a Big Difference for LDS Teens, Data Shows

The number of LDS teenagers who finished reading the assigned book of scripture in the church's youth seminary program rose 33 percent last year, according to new data.

Nearly 80 percent of students in the United States and other countries on a North American school calendar finished the entire Doctrine & Covenants that was one of two new, toughened graduation standards introduced during the 2014-15 school year by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"We've tried to track reading for a number of years now, and we've never seen a jump like this," said Chad Webb, administrator of Seminaries and Institutes. "We're very happy with how our students have responded and how our teachers have encouraged them."